


oh we can call this ice cream on my sunday sweater

by blue_roses



Series: while we're young an insecure [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: M/M, Major Spoilers, Mentions of Sex, POV Second Person, Timeskips, fuck dude i wish i knew how to describe what the fuck i just wrote
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-04 23:55:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11001654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_roses/pseuds/blue_roses
Summary: Akechi mouths something you don’t understand, and looks up at you with what could be anger. Even though it’s not directed at you, it still makes you shiver.





	oh we can call this ice cream on my sunday sweater

**Author's Note:**

> im honestly glossing over explanations on how this could work in canon and just getting to what yall r dying to ask: YES the title's a euphemism but it's also a lyric from sunny duet by noname, a song i'd rec w my entire ass.

   The first thing you think, belatedly, is that this might have been a mistake. You look down at the hand you’re going to need to wash, then at him. Oh. You’re still feeling a little strange, considering that one look at his heaving chest, flushed face, wide eyed self makes you forget your own name. 

 

   You did used to have one. At some point before this attic interaction, you’re still trying to figure out how this all came to being. He interrupts your thoughts, voice only a little hoarse. You haven’t said a word yet. 

 

   “Your sweater,” he says, “you should watch that. It has, well…”

 

    You look down at your sweater. It’s stained now, as is your hand. At least it’s Sunday, so you can go to the laundromat and take a bath. Morgana won’t notice if you cram it in with a few other grimy pieces of gear. It’ll all work fine.

 

   “Yeah,” you breathe out, “I’ll be fine. You okay?”

 

   He nods. Unclenches his hands, zips up his pants. He’s a little shaky when he stands up. But he calms down nicely. If he can be on live television on a weekly basis, he can pull himself together after what just happened. He takes his briefcase, tries to smile but can’t manage it without blushing. A part of you wants to say it’s cute, but you know that would escalate into something neither of you are ready for. 

 

   “I’ll be going now. See you...around,” Akechi doesn’t stutter. But there’s no way the quick clattering of his words says anything but awkward. You’re going to have to think, but for now you wave goodbye with your clean hand as he goes downstairs. It’s only after he leaves that you’re able to wash up. As you take off your sweater and stuff it with a bag of dirty laundry, you wonder why your heart’s beating against your ribcage the way it has. 

 

-

 

  You understand why your ex-girlfriend would get frustrated if you didn’t text her back quick enough, and you usually had club activities. You can remember the way her low, soft voice said,  _ Kurusu-kun _ . It’s strange thinking about it. That’s still your name, but hardly anyone calls you by it anymore. At least, not in that same tone. It’s always “kid”, or  _ Akira  _ or some version of “you”. And Joker. You can’t possibly forget Joker. 

 

   You don’t even have a phone number. Just free time and the vague concept that he does, in fact, stop by sometimes. You don’t talk about this with anyone. You previous experiences with these sorts of...matters was shallow at best. It didn’t prepare you for the look on his face when he sees you. A small almost gasp followed by a smile you can’t help thinking of as shy.

 

   “Welcome home,” you say, reminiscent of his own tone when he first said it to you. Akechi freezes, a brief jolt in his system before slowly sitting at his usual stool. 

 

  He shuts his eyes for a moment. Laces his fingers together. You’re about to ask if he’s going to order coffee when you remember Sojiro had some emergency with Futaba and left ten minutes ago. She’d texted you three minutes after that saying that her atrophy cause some unforeseen problems. Sojiro said he’d be back in no later than fifteen, even though the place is almost always empty, especially when it’s raining. And the Leblanc customers that are around on Saturdays usually don’t show up this early in the morning. 

 

  Neither does he, for that matter. You feel like you should say something. About what happened that Sunday, or anything normal. You take a small breath and finally bring yourself to speak. 

 

   “Are you feeling alright?” Great question Kurusu. You’re doing an amazing job at being normal.

 

   “I’m fine. I hope this doesn’t bother you.” A loaded statement. You didn’t expect anything less from him, but it still somewhat surprises you. 

 

  “I was thinking something similar,” you say, “I’m no Sojiro, but I can make you coffee.”

 

  “I’d like that,” he sighs out in what seems like relief. You manage to go through the motions of making coffee quickly, grateful for the extra hours. For some reason or another, you want him to like this. To have him stick around for just a little longer. 

 

  He asks how your day is in a generic way. You mention you dodged a piece of chalk, and conversation flows easier after that. Eventually, on his second cup, you notice he seems strangely calm and ask about it. 

 

  “I don’t know why,” he says with a slight hum in his voice, “I’m usually not a fan of the rain. But right now, it’s strangely calming.” 

 

  You ask him if he wants to go up to the attic in a heartbeat, in a voice you won’t remember. He nods and you wait until Sojiro comes back. When you get there, you both take your shirts off this time. You don’t want any stains after all. 

 

-

 

“I didn’t expect this.” He’s leaning his back against your bed. You’re sitting cross legged on your mattress, looking down at him It’s been awhile since he’s come here. Morgana isn’t around, period and you’re feeling off. Maybe that’s why you skipped formalities, loneliness is as good a reason as any.

 

 “What, did you have something to do today?” You’re half asking half teasing. It’s tempting to pin him in some way, but you know he’ll end up turning the tables. That’s how the two of you work now. 

 

  “I’m just thinking, being around you makes me think,” He leans his head back onto your mattress. 

 

  “A lot or too much?” You ask. You almost want to do something with this position of yours, but you want to hear his answer first. He always needs to talk things out. Elaborately, sometimes excessively to make himself understand. You’ve always been more the listening type, and being around him seems to emphasize that fact.

 

  He chuckles before saying, “Both.” You decide you should both be doing a little less talking and lean down to kiss him. 

 

 The whole process starts with a slight discomfort in your neck, so he comes up to the bed with you. Then you’re asking whether it’s okay to go further and he nods and you’ve never felt more grateful. Something tells you this is something that you won’t be able to do again. 

 

 He says, while getting dressed, “You know, if you told me to clean my act up, I might do it.”

 

 “I don’t know what you mean,” you say. You have a feeling he’s trying to lead you to a conclusion when you don’t have all the evidence. Or maybe it’s a weird euphemism for this relationship, hell if you know.

 

 “It’s okay, you don’t have to.” 

 

 He shuts the door behind him. You don’t come back down for a long, long while. 

 

-

  “My apologies for being so caught up in my thoughts…”

 

   “Is there a reason you’re so out of it?”

 

   “Only an obscure blood oath, but I’m sure that’s no big deal for someone like you.”

 

  In retrospect, he really wasn’t joking. 

 

-

  Akechi comes back a few days after he’s a tentative member of the thieves. You wish you could say you wanted to save him, but it’s never been that simple. You have to be cautious, because it’s not just you who’s in danger now. Being Joker in the daytime has it’s downfalls.  

 

  He looks like he could fade away at any moment. You’re tempted to try and grasp at anything of substance in him. To try and figure something out, but you have a plan. A plan you promised to keep. 

 

  “Ah, it’s still strange,” he says after taking a sip of your coffee. You’ve been doing this more often than you should, considering the circumstances.

 

  “Does it taste bad?” you ask. 

 

  “Oh. Not that,” he hums in consideration, “it’s just. Odd to have a team, that’s all. Though I can tell I’m not well liked, I am grateful.”

 

  “Happy to help then,” you say, “but we aren’t hateful people. Just a little hesitant.”

 

  Another sip, “I can sympathize. I just wonder at times how I’m thought of, especially when I think about my involvement in this situation.” You’re not sure what to say. You’ve never thought about what to call him when he isn’t around, you know what everyone else things. Anger and skepticism and a little bit of envy. You wish you could list how you feel about him in the same way. 

 

  “I’ll let you know when this is over, in words this time,” You take his now empty cup just to have your fingers brush. That’s all you’ll allow yourself, that and--

 

  He leans forward to kiss you over the counter, pulling on your apron like his life is on the line. You’re glad the place is empty. That serendipity led to the two of you being alone again. He’s panting slightly, dilated pupils. Akechi mouths something you don’t understand, and looks up at you with what could be anger. Even though it’s not directed at you, it still makes you shiver. 

 

 When he blinks, he’s back to a calmer self. You don’t remember his farewells, though you do remember he said them. It’s the last time you see him outside of team meetings, which later becomes the last time you’ll truly see him. 

 

-

 

 You’d hold a funeral, but it feels too much like washing a stain. 

**Author's Note:**

> anyways i have no idea wtf i wrote so hopefully it turned out ok!!!


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